Tone Tags / Tone Indicators
Explanation, Masterlist, Information, etc.
created by @junos-cacophony on tumblr
What are Tone Indicators / Tone Tags?
A tone indicator or tone tag is a symbol attached to a sentence or message sent in a textual form, such as over the internet, to explicitly state the intonation or intent of the message, especially when it may be otherwise ambiguous. Tone indicators start with a forward slash (/), followed by a short series of letters, usually a shortening of another word. Examples include /j, meaning "joking"; /srs, meaning "serious"; or /s, meaning "sarcastic".
Tone Tag Masterlist
In no particular order cause I'm lazyy /lhj
/j - joke
/hj - half joke
/cj - coping joke
/ij - inside joke
/silly - silly tone
/nsrs - not serious
/hsrs - half serious
/srs - serious
/f - fake
/s or /sarcas - sarcastic / sarcasm
/m - metaphorically
/li - literally
/hyp - hyperbole
/lh - lighthearted
/lhj - lighthearted joke
/t - teasing
/ref - reference
/ly or /lyr - lyrics
/q - quote
/g or /gen - genuine
/gq or /genq - genuine question
/rh or /rt - rhetorical question
/i - ironic
/ui - unironic
/lu - a little upset
/vu - very upset
/nm - not mad
/nav - not a vent
/av - a vent
/nf - not forced
/nfta - not forced to answer
/nbh - nobody here
/nay - not at you
/dir - directed
/ot -off topic
/th - threat
/cb - clickbait
/c - copypasta
/p - platonic
/r - romantic
/a - alterous / queerplatonic
/aff - affectionately
/nsx or /nx - not sexual
/sx or /x - sexual
/pos - positive connotation / tone
/neg - negative connotation / tone
/neu - neutral connotation / tone
/apa - apathetic connotation /tone
/e - empathetic (coined by @leafgorge , @apollosunshineisdead , and @pixlelixr on tumblr)
/sys - something related to DiD Systems
/v___ - very __ (ex. /vpos - very positive, /vneg - very negative)
Why Should I Use Tone Tags?
Some people (especially neurodivergent people) have difficulty picking up and understanding tone, especially through text, where one cannot hear and see audio and physical cues (voice inflection, body language, facial expressions, etc.) so tagging your text with a tone tag can really help!
Keep in mind!:
Tone tags aren't an excuse to be mean. You can't say something offensive and say "/j" right after.
Do not mock the use of tone tags. You may not need them but others do! Not everyone can tell when something is a joke, etc. Just be nice about it
Do not use tone tags incorrectly "as a joke", to confuse people, etc. The usage of tone tags are to clarify!
Try to use tone tags in the original post/message !
If someone does not feel comfortable with tone tags, don't force them. As long as they don't misunderstand the tone of your text, just be nice.